Description
Succulent brown sugar chops shine with sweet and savory perfection, delivering a mouthwatering blend of caramelized flavors. Juicy pork meets rich glaze, promising a simple yet impressive dinner that satisfies with each tender, flavorful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 4 bone-in or boneless pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
Seasonings:
- ¼ cup (60 grams) brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for a little heat)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Fats:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil or butter
Instructions
- Craft a dynamic blend of brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a small mixing vessel, creating a robust seasoning profile.
- Meticulously massage the aromatic spice mixture onto each side of the pork chops, ensuring comprehensive coverage for maximum flavor infusion.
- Ignite a large skillet over medium-high flame, introducing olive oil or butter to create a sizzling cooking surface.
- Carefully position the seasoned pork chops into the heated skillet, allowing them to caramelize and develop a rich golden-brown exterior, approximately 3-4 minutes per side.
- Reduce the skillet’s temperature to medium, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches a perfect 145F (63C), ensuring tender and succulent meat.
- Temporarily remove the chops from direct heat, permitting them to rest for 5 minutes, which allows the internal juices to redistribute and enhance overall tenderness.
- Optional enhancement involves deglazing the skillet with chicken broth or apple juice, capturing the concentrated flavor remnants and creating a delectable pan sauce to drizzle atop the finished chops.
- For those preferring oven-finishing, transfer the skillet to a preheated 375F (190C) oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes to achieve optimal doneness.
Notes
- Choose bone-in pork chops for maximum flavor and juiciness, ensuring they’re evenly thick to promote consistent cooking.
- Tap spices onto meat gently to create an even, delicate coating that caramelizes beautifully without clumping.
- Use a meat thermometer to guarantee perfect doneness, preventing overcooking which can dry out the delicate pork.
- Experiment with alternative sweeteners like honey or maple syrup for different flavor profiles, keeping the same measurement ratios.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg